§2543 — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

You may save seed you grew from seed you lawfully bought (or seed that came from that seed) and use it to grow crops on your farm or sell it as this law allows, unless doing so would be an infringement under subsections (3) and (4) of section 2541. A real sale of seed grown on a farm for uses other than planting, sold in the usual markets, is not an infringement. If a buyer instead uses that seed for planting, the buyer is treated as having notice that those actions are an infringement under section 2567.

Title 7, §2543

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Except to the extent that such action may constitute an infringement under subsections (3) and (4) of section 2541 11 See References in Text note below. of this title, it shall not infringe any right hereunder for a person to save seed produced by the person from seed obtained, or descended from seed obtained, by authority of the owner of the variety for seeding purposes and use such saved seed in the production of a crop for use on the farm of the person, or for sale as provided in this section. A bona fide sale for other than reproductive purposes, made in channels usual for such other purposes, of seed produced on a farm either from seed obtained by authority of the owner for seeding purposes or from seed produced by descent on such farm from seed obtained by authority of the owner for seeding purposes shall not constitute an infringement. A purchaser who diverts seed from such channels to seeding purposes shall be deemed to have notice under section 2567 of this title that the actions of the purchaser constitute an infringement.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Subsections (3) and (4) of section 2541 of this title, referred to in text, probably means paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 2541 of this title, which were redesignated subsection (a)(3) and (4) of section 2541 of this title by Pub. L. 102–560, § 3(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4231.

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–349, §§ 10, 13(s)(1), in first sentence substituted “produced by the person” for “produced by him”, “the farm of the person” for “his farm”, and “section.” for “section: Provided, That without regard to the provisions of section 2541(3) of this title it shall not infringe any right hereunder for a person, whose primary farming occupation is the growing of crops for sale for other than reproductive purposes, to sell such saved seed to other persons so engaged, for reproductive purposes, provided such sale is in compliance with such State laws governing the sale of seed as may be applicable.” Pub. L. 103–349, § 13(s)(2), substituted “the actions of the purchaser” for “his actions” in third sentence.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–349 effective 180 days after Oct. 6, 1994, see section 15 of Pub. L. 103–349, set out as a note under section 2401 of this title.

§2543 Right to save seed; crop exemption